Restoring an iPhone is usually recommended when dealing with important system problems that cannot be solved with basic alternative solutions. A Windows or Mac PC with the latest version of the iTunes application is the main requirement for starting with an iOS recovery. It is also recommended to use a computer running on a later, if not the latest, version of the operating system compatible with the operating system of the iOS device.
Also make sure that your computer has a stable Internet connection so that it can establish a secure connection and communicate properly with the Apple server to access relevant data during the process. Read on to find out what to do if you’re having trouble restoring your iPhone with iTunes.
First of all, if you are looking for a solution to a different problem, then go to our iPhone Guides page for having already solved some of the most common problems with this device. Try to find similar problems to yours and feel free to use our alternative solutions.
What to do if your Apple iPhone doesn’t recover
The root cause of the problem could be on the iPhone or the computer system. Therefore it is necessary to solve problems with both iPhone and computer. Just refer to the solutions described to eliminate the software-related factors that may have prevented the restoration of your iPhone with iTunes.
A. Solve problems with your iPhone
Performing these procedures will eliminate software problems on the iPhone system that may have caused problems when restoring the device with iTunes.
First solution- soft reset / restart
Small firmware crashes can cause random errors and may have ruined the recovery process. To eliminate these errors, it is recommended that you perform a software reset or restart the iPhone. Refer to these steps to soft reset your iPhone.
To soft reset / restart a model of iPhone X or later, follow these steps:
- Hold the side button and one of the volume buttons until not the cursor appears Shut Down.
- Drag the slider to completely shut down your iPhone.
- Then, after 30 seconds, press the side button again to turn your iPhone back on.
If you are using an iPhone 8, 8 Plus or a previous model, perform a software reset with these steps:
- Press and hold the button top or side until not the cursor appears Shut Down.
- Drag the slider to turn off the phone completely.
- After about 30 seconds, press and hold the top or side button again to turn the phone back on.
Allow the phone to complete the boot sequence and, once ready, connect it back to iTunes and try to restore.
Second solution- disable restrictions on iPhone
Another possible barrier that you should eliminate are the restrictions of your iPhone. One of the features of iOS that can limit or prevent certain apps or features is the so-called Restrictions feature. To make sure this doesn’t cause problems when using iTunes to restore your iPhone, turn it off with these steps:
- Tap Settings from the main screen.
- Select General.
- Touch Content and privacy restrictions.
- Then select the option to disable the restrictions.
- Re-enter the restrictions passcode when prompted to disable the restrictions.
Try to restore your Apple iPhone in iTunes while the restrictions are disabled and check if the problem has been resolved.
Third solution- reset all iPhone settings
Performing a reset of all settings can also be considered among the possible solutions especially if the problem is attributed to invalid configurations on the iPhone. All custom settings will be cleared and the original values and options will be restored.
This does not affect the information saved in the internal memory, so there is no need to create backups. If you want to try it, here’s how it’s done:
- Open the Settings app from the Home screen.
- Select General.
- Scroll down and tap Reset.
- Then select Reset all settings.
- When prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
- Then tap Reset all settings to confirm the reset.
Wait for the reset to finish and restart your Apple iPhone. At that point you can start enabling the necessary functions so that you can reuse them on your phone.
B. Solve your computer problems
If your iPhone still cannot restore to iTunes after performing the above solutions, excluding software problems on the computer should be the next action. Here’s what you can try to eliminate software-related factors on the computer system that may have caused conflicts with iTunes and ultimately prevent the app from restoring iOS.
First solution- end all programs, then restart iTunes
Just like the background apps on your Apple iPhone, programs that are left suspended or running in the background can affect other apps, especially in the event of a crash. Therefore, the end of all programs on the computer can be considered among the first possible solutions to try.
If you are using a Windows 10 computer, you can close / end all programs by starting Task Manager.
- To do this, press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys on the keyboard. Then from the Task Manager screen, go to the Programs or Applications tab and click on the Finish All button.
If you are using a Mac computer, you can terminate or force exit from apps through these steps:
- Press the Option, Command and Esc keys simultaneously to view the list of running apps from the Forced Exit screen.
- Select the app on the Forced Exit screen.
- Then click the Forced Exit button.
Follow the same steps to force close all running apps.
Second solution- restart the computer
Minor system problems can also be the main reason why iTunes isn’t working as it should. To eliminate random firmware problems like this, it may be helpful to restart your computer. Simply follow the standard reboot procedure on your Windows or Mac computer.
After the computer restarts, launch iTunes and try to restore your iOS device again.
Third solution- update the iTunes app
The next problems that you should eliminate are the in-app problems that cause iTunes to fail. And the easiest solution to these problems is installing the app update. That said, following these steps to verify the iTunes update to be implemented. If you are using iTunes for Windows, refer to these steps:
- Open the iTunes app on your computer.
- Click the Help button on the Windows menu bar.
- Click the option to check for updates from the drop-down menu. Doing so will prompt iTunes for Windows to update itself if it hasn’t been updated yet. Otherwise, it will warn you that the program is already updated.
To update iTunes on your Mac computer, follow these steps:
- Open iTunes on your Mac.
- Switch to the left side of the Apple toolbar located at the top of the screen.
- Click the iTunes button to continue.
- From the drop-down menu, click the Check for updates option.
Wait for iTunes to update itself. If iTunes is already up to date, a message will appear informing you that the app is up to date.
Fourth solution- disable iPhone security software
Security software like antivirus and firewall can also prevent your Apple iPhone from communicating with iTunes, especially if security threats are detected when you connect your iPhone to the computer’s USB port.
Your iOS device will be treated like any other external USB device, so if the security software detects some threats, access to the system will be denied. As a result, iTunes will not be able to recognize or restore your iPhone.
To eliminate it from the underlying cause, disable the firewall and antivirus from your computer, then reconnect your iPhone to the computer and see if iTunes restoration has already been successful.
You can also choose to configure your security software to allow your Apple iPhone to access the computer system and work with iTunes. Go to the settings of your security software, then enable the option to grant permission to your iOS device.
Contact the software developer if you need further assistance configuring the advanced settings on your security software. To configure advanced security settings on your Windows computer, contact Microsoft support or Apple-Mac support if you are using a Mac.
Fifth solution- uninstall then reinstall iTunes.
The problem may also be due to damaged iTunes software. In this case, you will have to uninstall the damaged version of the app and then install the latest version of iTunes on your computer.
The process of uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes varies depending on the type of computer you are using and its operating system.
If reinstalling iTunes does not produce positive results, you can use iTunes alternatives from the following options. There are many third party iOS recovery tools that you can try at this point. All you have to do is download and install the software compatible with your computer and Apple iPhone.
And once installed and ready, connect your iPhone to your computer, run the software then use the on-screen commands and controls to start restoring your iPhone. These tools are generally designed to meet the needs of both novice and role-playing users, so they expect them to make an interface intuitive.
Other suggestions
Performing the above procedures is good enough to eliminate software-related factors that may have prevented the restoration of your Apple iPhone. If you still can’t restore your iPhone after implementing the above solutions, consider these additional tips.
Use another compatible USB / Lightning cable. The problem may be due to a defective or damaged USB or Lightning cable in use. If you have another compatible USB / Lightning cable, try using it and try to restore your iPhone in iTunes.
Switch to another USB port. If your Apple iPhone doesn’t recover because iTunes failed to recognize it or detect it even when it’s connected, try connecting it to another USB port on your computer. This will help rule out a damaged USB port from the underlying cause.
Remove other external devices from the computer USB port. There are times when other external devices connected to your computer’s USB port could cause conflicts and thus ruin the connection between your iPhone and iTunes. As a result, your iOS device will not be able to establish a secure connection with iTunes. This could make it impossible to restore your iPhone.
Use another computer. The problem may also affect your computer. If you no longer wish to troubleshoot your computer and have other computers available, try restoring your iPhone using the other computer. Just make sure the latest version of iTunes is installed.
